Stress is our mind and body’s biological reaction to situational pressure. This reaction can be helpful to deal with short term stressors that may appear in our lives. However, when you constantly experience stress over a long period of time, it can turn into chronic stress which can negatively impact your physical and mental health.
Physically, stress can manifest as:
Mentally, it can manifest as:
Everyone has experienced stressful circumstances they felt they could not cope with on their own. If you feel this way, we encourage you to seek support. This can be from free, confidential counselling services (like EAP) or any other accessible support service.
MyDevelopment offers in-person and online programs to teach you more about stress and how to manage it, including:
Engaging in healthy habits such as having good sleep habits, exercising regularly, maintaining a balanced diet, and practising mindfulness can help us cope better and manage our stress.
See the self care tab to learn how Monash can support you in building healthy habits to cope with stress.
Our social wellbeing depends on the quality of our relationships with others. At Monash, we believe all staff should feel part of an inclusive, socially connected workplace – wherever they choose to live and work. When we have good social wellbeing, we can:
Feeling connected within our community is also vital to our social wellbeing. Participating in group activities promotes feelings of belonging and acceptance within us, reduces anxiety and restores our attention when we feel stressed. Stay in touch with the latest Monash community events and programs by reading The Insider staff newsletter and website. Or sign up to the Monash HSW newsletter for the latest wellbeing events and resources around Monash.
You can also choose to volunteer – practising compassion toward others can act as an effective stress buffer. Monash offers staff two days paid leave per calendar year to participate in community volunteer work.